Embodiments of the invention relate generally to coverings for child seats and more specifically to coverings that are useable with stroller seats, infant carriers, and car seats to cover or partially cover a child seated in a stroller seat, infant carrier, or car seat.
Child seats are designed to safely secure a child to protect the child during transportation and/or other activities. Child seats include infant carriers, car seats, strollers, and the like. Infant carriers and car seats are close in design and function, except that infant carriers are generally designed to removably couple with a base unit secured to a vehicle. The infant carriers may be conveniently removed from the base unit and transported while an infant or newborn remains restrained within the infant carrier.
Child seats are often designed to provide comfort for the child secured within the seat. Typically these seats are made of a plastic or metal base (e.g., polypropylene base or tubing) and include fabric liners, padding (e.g., foam padding), constraint belts, buckles, handles, wheels, and the like. Child seats may also include other components, such as pockets, shade coverings, wheel locks, and the like. Additional components and/or attachments are often used with child seats, such as toys that hang from a handle or trays that attach to the child seat that support the child's food or drink.
Child seats may be used for children of various ages and size ranging from infants to school age children. The child seat may be adjustable so that the child seat may continue to be used as the child grows. When using child seats for newborns and infants, special care is often needed due to the fragile nature of the young children. For example, newborns and infants may get cold while riding in a stroller, infant carrier, or car seat because of their immobility and/or inability to generate enough body heat. Newborns and infants typically lack the ability to communicate when they are cold or otherwise feel uncomfortable. In addition, infant carriers and car seats often face rearward or away from the parent so that the parent may not be able to see or determine when the child is cold or otherwise uncomfortable. Further, placing a coat or jacket on the child to keep the child warm may render buckling the child within the child seat more difficult due to the additional bulky material. For these and other reasons, it may be desirable to cover a child seated in a child seat to keep the child warm and/or comfortable while riding in the child seat.